10 Most Impressive Soviet-Era Buildings in Moscow: Skyscrapers and More

This guide to the 10 most impressive Soviet-era buildings in Moscow is for visitors interested in the architecture of the Soviet period. Seven of the entries are the Stalin-era skyscrapers known as the Seven Sisters, built between the late 1940s and the 1950s, and the others are the Ostankino TV Tower, the pavilions of VDNKh and the Metro’s decorated stations.

The entries are ordered by how striking they are for a first-time visitor, and each says what you see, whether you can go inside, the nearest Metro station and one practical tip. Several of the skyscrapers are offices or homes, so they are seen from outside, and others are hotels that welcome guests. Access rules change, so check on the day.

At a Glance

#	Place	Best for	Good to know
1	Main Building of Moscow State University	Tallest of the Seven Sisters	Vorobyovy Gory Metro station; free to see from outside; campus access is limited, check the university's rules.
2	Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow	Hotel Ukraina on the river	Kievskaya Metro station, with a walk to the river; view free from outside; the hotel is for guests and diners.
3	Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya	Smallest but most ornate	Komsomolskaya Metro station; free to see from outside; the hotel is for guests and diners.
4	Kotelnicheskaya Embankment	Residential skyscraper on the river	Taganskaya or Kitay-Gorod Metro stations; free to see from outside; residents' building, no entry.
5	Ministry of Foreign Affairs main building	Garden Ring landmark	Smolenskaya Metro station; free to see from outside; government office, no entry.
6	Kudrinskaya Square Building	Residential tower on the Garden Ring	Barrikadnaya Metro station; free to see from outside; residential, no entry.
7	Red Gates Administrative Building	Skyscraper on Red Gate Square	Krasnye Vorota Metro station; free to see from outside; offices and residential, no entry.
8	Ostankino Tower	Soviet TV tower	VDNKh Metro station, with a walk; paid, by booked tour; check the tower's official site.
9	How to visit VDNKh	Pavilions and fountains	VDNKh Metro station; grounds free; museums paid; the Cosmonautics Museum is closed on Mondays.
10	How to see the most beautiful Moscow Metro stations in one route	Stations as monuments	Citywide; the standard Metro fare applies; avoid rush hours.

How We Chose

The entries were chosen from official information and reliable general references, with no personal visits claimed.

• Each building is open to visitors or clearly visible from public streets, and is a well-known work of Soviet architecture.
• The list combines the seven Stalin-era skyscrapers with three other Soviet-era landmarks of a different kind.
• Where a building is a home or a government office, the entry says that it is seen from outside only.
• Dates and architects come from reference sources and are flagged for the editor to confirm; access rules are described in general terms.

1. Main Building of Moscow State University – Tallest of the Seven Sisters

The main building of Moscow State University, on Sparrow Hills, was designed by Lev Rudnev and built between 1949 and 1953. It is the largest of the Seven Sisters, with a central tower topped by a spire and a clock with four dials, flanked by long wings. Seen from the viewing platform, it fills the whole sky behind you. See the Sparrow Hills guide and the Lomonosovsky guide on this site.

Good to know: Vorobyovy Gory Metro station; free to see from outside; campus access is limited, check the university's rules.

Tip: Walk the approach alley from the platform for the full symmetrical view.

2. Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow – Hotel Ukraina on the river

The Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow is the former Hotel Ukraina, built between 1953 and 1957 by Arkady Mordvinov and Vyacheslav Oltarzhevsky, on a bend of the Moskva River. It is U-shaped, with a central tower for the hotel and side wings of apartments, and the best-known view is from the Taras Shevchenko Embankment opposite. The hotel is open to its guests and diners.

Good to know: Kievskaya Metro station, with a walk to the river; view free from outside; the hotel is for guests and diners.

Tip: Photograph it from the Moskva River embankment opposite for the whole facade.

3. Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya – Smallest but most ornate

The Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya, built between 1949 and 1954 to a design by Leonid Polyakov, is the smallest of the Seven Sisters, though known for the richest interior, near three of Moscow's main railway stations. It was renovated and reopened as a Hilton hotel in 2008. The exterior is the main sight, with its spire and tiered tower.

Good to know: Komsomolskaya Metro station; free to see from outside; the hotel is for guests and diners.

Tip: Look at it in combination with the nearby railway stations for the district's character.

4. Kotelnicheskaya Embankment – Residential skyscraper on the river

The Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building, built between 1947 and 1952 by Dmitry Chechulin and Leonid Rostkovsky, stands where the Yauza meets the Moskva River and is one of the largest Stalin-era residential buildings. It has a tall central tower and long wings along the river. It is a home, so it is seen from outside. See the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment guide on this site.

Good to know: Taganskaya or Kitay-Gorod Metro stations; free to see from outside; residents' building, no entry.

Tip: Walk the embankment promenade for the full river-side view.

5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs main building – Garden Ring landmark

The main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, built between 1948 and 1953 by Vladimir Gelfreykh and Adolf Minkus, rises at the Garden Ring just off Old Arbat, with a tall tower and a spire. It is the architectural centerpiece of the Smolenskaya Square area. It is a government building, so it is seen from outside only. See the Arbat guide on this site.

Good to know: Smolenskaya Metro station; free to see from outside; government office, no entry.

Tip: Combine it with a walk along Old Arbat, which starts close by.

6. Kudrinskaya Square Building – Residential tower on the Garden Ring

The Kudrinskaya Square Building, built between 1948 and 1954 by Mikhail Posokhin and Ashot Mndoyants, is a residential tower at the end of Krasnaya Presnya Street on the Garden Ring. It is known for its rich decoration, with mosaics and a monumental lobby, though the lobby is not open to the public. See the Krasnaya Presnya guide on this site.

Good to know: Barrikadnaya Metro station; free to see from outside; residential, no entry.

Tip: Look at the facade from the square side for the central tower and wings.

7. Red Gates Administrative Building – Skyscraper on Red Gate Square

The Red Gates Administrative Building, designed by Alexey Dushkin, is the quietest of the Seven Sisters, standing on Red Gate Square where an old triumphal arch once stood. It combines offices and apartments. The nearby Metro station by the same architect is also an example of Stalin-era design. It is seen from outside only.

Good to know: Krasnye Vorota Metro station; free to see from outside; offices and residential, no entry.

Tip: Step into the Metro station hall to see Dushkin's interior design.

8. Ostankino Tower – Soviet TV tower

The Ostankino TV Tower, designed by Nikolai Nikitin and built in 1967 to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, is 540 meters tall and has glassed and open observation decks, the open deck being used only from April to October in good weather. The tower is the most recognizable Soviet-era structure outside the center. See the VDNH and Ostankino guide on this site.

Good to know: VDNKh Metro station, with a walk; paid, by booked tour; check the tower's official site.

Tip: Book the tour ahead and choose a clear day.

9. How to visit VDNKh – Pavilions and fountains

VDNKh is a vast park of Soviet-era pavilions, fountains and monuments in the north of the city, originally an exhibition of the achievements of the national economy and now used for museums, exhibitions and events. Look for the main arch, the Friendship of Peoples fountain and the Cosmonautics monument nearby. Entering the grounds is free.

Good to know: VDNKh Metro station; grounds free; museums paid; the Cosmonautics Museum is closed on Mondays.

Tip: Allow half a day, since the pavilions are spread out.

10. How to see the most beautiful Moscow Metro stations in one route – Stations as monuments

The Moscow Metro's central stations are Soviet-era public buildings in their own right, with marble, mosaics, bronze statues and chandeliers, especially the stations of the Circle Line and the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line. A sightseeing route of several stations needs only a normal fare and takes about two hours. They are the most accessible Soviet-era interiors in the city.

Good to know: Citywide; the standard Metro fare applies; avoid rush hours.

Tip: Walk to the middle of the platform to see the whole hall.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Group the Seven Sisters by area: the Ministry and Kudrinskaya are close to the Arbat, Kotelnicheskaya and Red Gates are east of the center.
• See the Moscow State University from Sparrow Hills in the morning, and Hotel Ukraina from the embankment opposite at sunset.
• Use the Metro between the skyscrapers; the hotels at Kievskaya and Komsomolskaya are on different lines.
• Treat the residential and government buildings as exteriors: do not try to enter.
• Do the VDNKh and Ostankino pair on a separate half day because they are in the north.
• See the Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Moscow list on this site for other landmarks that pair with these.

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Browse more: All Guides · All Soviet Moscow

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FAQ

What are the Seven Sisters?

Seven Stalin-era skyscrapers built between the late 1940s and the 1950s.

Can I go inside the skyscrapers?

Only the hotels welcome guests; the others are homes or offices.

Which is the tallest?

The main building of Moscow State University.

Which skyscrapers are hotels?

The Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow and the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya.

Is the Ostankino Tower open to visitors?

Yes, by booked tours; the open deck only from April to October.

Are these buildings free to see?

From outside yes; the tower and some museums charge.

How long does it take to see all ten?

Two days at an easy pace, grouped by area.

Can I pay with a foreign card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country's sanctions rules may restrict some services, so check this yourself.

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